Rare Book Monthly

Latin American Works from Plaza Books

- by Michael Stillman

Currier's depiction of the Battle of Monterrey.

Item 29 is entitled PortentosMilagrososyDevotaNovenadelTaumaturgoEremita...SanNicolasdeTolentino by Jose Gil Ramirez. Published in Guadalajara in 1839, it is an account of the life of St. Nicolas of Tolentino, a city in Italy. Nicolas lived during the 13th and early 14th century, so he had no familiarity with Mexico. However, he was a saint, and some amazing miracles have been attributed to him, such as raising the dead, saving a ship going down in a storm, bringing a roasted fowl back to life, and various miraculous cures. Some were attributed directly to him, others through prayers to the Saint after he died. While we cannot vouch for these, we can say that Nicolas was apparently a very kind and generous man, despite living in an age where cruelty and brutality were more the norm. Somewhere along the way, Nicolas became the patron saint for preventing earthquakes in Mexico City, hence this book of prayers seeking his assistance. $475.

Items 41-44 are prints produced by N. Currier during the 1840s. They depict battle scenes during the Mexican War. There were some fierce battles, but the stronger American forces prevailed, seizing the territory that would become California, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of other states in the process, including recognition of America's claim to Texas. $450 each.

<b>Bonhams, Sep. 17:</b> EARLY AVIATION PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVE. Chronicling 20th century aviation from the earliest Wright Brothers images through commercial and military applications. $50,000 to $70,000.

<b>Bonhams, Sep. 17:</b> FIRST TELEPHONE CALL TO THE MOON. Partial transcription signed by Apollo 11 astronauts and President Nixon. $20,000 to $30,000.

<b>Bonhams, Oct. 23:</b> AUDUBON, JOHN JAMES. 1785-1851. <i>The Birds of America, from Drawings Made in the United States and Their Territories.</i> New York & Philadelphia: J.J. Audubon & J.B. Chevalier, 1840-1844. $20,000 to $30,000.